California
Oncology
Weekly
"Where California Oncologists Go For Answers!"
A collaborative publication of the
Medical Oncology Association of Southern California, Inc.
and the
Association of Northern California Oncologists, Inc
.
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- THIS SATURDAY! Advancing Cancer Care in the Elderly (MOASC News)
- Washington state House committee passes bill to ban the personal or philosophical exemption for some vaccines. (National News)
- Quality Payment Program: Overview of APMs for Years 3" webinar, Thursday, February 21 (CMS News)
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- California Medical Association's Calendar of legislative events through April:
March 14th
- CMA Specialty Society Meeting - This meeting is for lobbyists of the specialty societies. The California Cancer PAC (MOASC & ANCO) will be represented by their lobbyist Noteware & Rosa Government Relations.
March 15th
- CMA Council on Legislation - where bills will be analyzed, debated and then voted. Dr. Fong (MOASC) and Dr. Milnic (ANCO) will be attending.
April 24th
- CMA Legislation Day - Where California healthcare providers, patient advocates and constituents fly into Sacramento to meet with legislators on the pressing issues of 2019 affecting access to healthcare in California.
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- MLN Connects Provider eNews:
Announcements
: New Medicare Card: 0 no O; MIPS: Check Your Preliminary 2019 Eligibility; Medicare Hospital Claims: Avoid Coding Errors-Reminder
Events:
MIPS Data Submission Office Hours Sessions-February 26 and March 19; Open Payments: Transparency and You Call-March 13
Publications:
ICD-10 and Other Coding Revisions to NCDs MLN Matters Article-New; Medicare FFS Response to the 2018 California Wildfires MLN Matters Article-Revised; Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage Interactive Tutorial-Revised; CLIA Program and Medicare Laboratory Services Fact Sheet-Revised; Medicare Advance Written Advance Notice of Noncoverage Booklet-Revised; Medicare Part A & B Appeals Process Booklet-Revised;
* MLN Connects-February 2019
* MolDX: BRCA1 and BRCA2 Genetic Testing LCD-R3
* MolDX: Molecular Diagnostic Tests (MDT) LCD-R9
* Quarterly Update to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Database (MPFSDB)-April 2019 Update CR11163
* New Medicare Card: Are You Using the MBI?
* Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs)-Revised CR10901
* Lab: FLow Cytometry LCD-R12
* Chemotherapy Administration-R17 and R18
* Lab: Bladder/Urothelial Tumor Markers LCD-R2
* Appeals Submission and Status Inquiry-NMP Tutorial Available
Forthcoming
Noridian JEMAC meetings/webinars/workshops include:
* Ordered, Referred and Prescribed Services Webinar (February 20)
* Transitional Care Management Webinar (February 21)
* Understanding National and Local Coverage Determinations Webinar (February 21)
* Home Health Referrals and Clinical Documentation Requirements Webinar (February 26)
* Submitting Your Enrollment Online-Part 1 Webinar (I&A; February 27)
* Modifier 59, National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) and Medically Unlikely Edits (MUE) Webinar (February 28)
* What To Do With Rejections for Overlapping Claims Webinar (March 7)
* PECOS Part 1: Full Overview of PECOS Webinar (March 13)
* Telehealth Services Webinar (March 19)
* Telehealth Services-After Hours Webinar (March 21)
* PECOS Part 2: Full Overview of PECSO Webinar (March 27)
* Independent Diagnostic Testing Facility (IDTF) Enrollment Webinar (April 10)
* Medicare Part A/B Revalidation Webinar (April 24)
* Submitting Your Enrollment Online-Part 1 Webinar (I&A; May 29)
* Submitting Your Enrollment Online-Part 2 Webinar (PECOS; June 26)
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- THIS SATURDAY! DON'T MISS THE ANNUAL MOASC ONCOLOGY SUMMIT presentation Advancing Cancer Care in the Elderly, February 23, 2019, at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort Spa. This program is dedicated to the late Arti Hurria, M.D., who was a leader in Geriatric Oncology Research. Dr. Hurria's colleague William Dale, M.D., Ph.D. from the City of Hope is the keynote speaker. Speakers from the City of Hope, UCLA and Cedars Sinai will discuss multiple myeloma, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer and acute myelogenous leukemia in the elderly. Contact moasc@moasc.org.
- MOASC is looking for feedback from members regarding individual instances of copay accumulator use in California. Specific information needed are the names of the healthplans, group numbers (if applicable), PBMs and employers, with just your contact information. The information you provide would go a long way in helping patient and provider advocacy groups and organizations like MOASC & ANCO to fight to limit their use. Please send your information to
moasc@moasc.org
. Thank you.
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- Registration is now open for the 19th Multidisciplinary Management of Cancers: A Case-based Approach, taking place at the Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa on March 15-17, 2019. Go to http://www.multicancers.org to register and arrange for housing.
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National News
- A Washington state House committee on Friday passed a bill to ban the personal or philosophical exemption for the vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) for school-age children amid an outbreak of the virus. The bill passed through the state's Health Care and Wellness Committee, despite opposition from critics who say parents should have a right to choose whether to vaccinate their children, The Seattle Times reported.
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CMS News
- Register for CMS' "Quality Payment Program: Overview of APMs for Years 3" webinar, Thursday, February 21 from 11am to 12 pm Pacific time. This webinar provides a basic overview of Alternative Payment Models (APMs) for the 2019 Performance Year of the Quality Payment Program. Learn how to get started in an APM. Topics include:
Advanced APMs, Merit-Based Incentive Payment System APMs, and all-payer other payer combination options,
Qualifying APM participant determination and performance period,
Scoring standard
Support
- Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched "
CMS: Beyond the Policy
," a new podcast highlighting updates and changes to policies and programs in an easily accessible and conversational format.
The podcast was created as a new method to explain the agency's policies and programs. CMS: Beyond the Policy's inaugural episode focuses on Evaluation and Management Coding (E/M Codes). Last November, CMS finalized changes in the Calendar Year 2019 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). The Calendar Year 2019 PFS included significant changes to how doctors and other clinicians document office and outpatient visits billed to Medicare. These changes are part of CMS's "Patients Over Paperwork" initiative and one of many steps CMS is taking to reduce the amount of burdensome regulations on physicians allowing them to focus on delivering the best quality care to their patients.
New episodes of the podcast will be released periodically and will welcome a range of subject-matter experts, stakeholders, and Administrator Verma herself.
The first episode of CMS: Beyond the Policy will be available for download on iTunes and Google Play in the coming days.
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Affiliate Association News
- Have you reserved your spot at The ACCC Infusion Center of the Future Forum on February 26-27, 2019 in Atlanta? This is an incredible opportunity to learn from your peers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the Winship Cancer Institute, the University of Colorado Cancer Center, and the Lehigh Valley Health Network. The Infusion Center of the Future Forum is an invaluable opportunity to hear from world-class infusion center leaders about how they've used predictive analytics and machine learning to improve patient access, reduce patient wait times, improve nurse satisfaction, and reduce healthcare delivery costs. There is no charge for attending this event, though travel and accommodation expenses are your responsibility.
Click here to register and view the agenda
- Registration is open for the ACCC 45TH ANNUAL MEETING & CANCER CENTER BUSINESS SUMMIT (AMCCBS), a national thought leadership forum where the intersection of BUSINESS, QUALITY, TECHNOLOGY, and POLICY leads to solutions for a changing healthcare industry. Hosted by the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC), Cancer Center Business Summit, and Foley & Lardner LLP, AMCCBS is a dynamic event for key stakeholders immersed in the business and policy of cancer care. Join healthcare executives, business leaders, and multidisciplinary providers-from C-suite executives, oncology specialists, directors and administrators-to professionals in health IT, public policy, research, pharmacy and biotechnology, academia and consultancy, from March 20 - 22, 2019, in Washington D.C.
- The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+) is pleased to share that the application period for the Certification Exams being held at the AONN+ Midyear Conference in San Diego will be open from February 18 through April 26. The test date will be May 16. The AONN+ Midyear Conference takes place in San Diego from May 17-19. Learn more at
https://aonnonline.org/certification
.
- ASCO helps practice administrators stay up-to-date on issues related on oncology practice administration with resources like ASCO Practice Central
(
https://practice.asco.org
)
where you will find everything you need on one convenient website dedicated to the business of oncology; and, the ASCO Practice Engagement Program
- Discover new ways to engage and contribute to ASCO with the ASCO Volunteer Corps. The Volunteer Corps offers meaningful and rewarding opportunities, short-term and virtual assignments, and flexible time commitments. Learn more at
https://volunteer.asco.org
- ASCO is inviting all oncology practices to participate in the 2019 Survey of Oncology Practice Operations which aims to give practices a deeper look at a variety of oncology management topics, including productivity, revenue, staffing levels, salaries, expenses, and more. The Survey is open through March 8. Learn more and take the Survey at
- Formerly known as the ASCO MOC App, the new 2019 Self-Evaluation App features six courses, with 20-questions each, on a variety of topics in Breast and Gynecologic Cancers. Test your knowledge and confidence with these multiple-choice questions, which include patient case information, educational links, and answer rationales. Purchase today at
- Data abstraction for ASCO's QOPI Round 1 will close on June 3. Round 1 final reports will be available approximately two weeks after the round closes. Learn more at
- Join ASH on September 6-7, 2019, at the Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park for the 2019 ASH Meeting on Hematologic Malignancies to gain knowledge that can help you make an immediate impact in your practice. The meeting will feature top experts in the field, comprehensive clinical content, the latest clinical research, and opportunities to interact with colleagues in an intimate, small-group setting with no competing sessions. The program content will be structured as "How I Treat" presentations, which will showcase each speaker's evidence-based treatment approaches, present cutting-edge scientific data that can be translated into new strategies for diagnosis and treatment, and address what to do in cases where there is no data. For more details or to register, please visit the
ASH Website
.
- Celebrating its 60th year as the preeminent global conference for hematologists, oncologists, and researchers across the hematologic malignancies, the ASH Annual Meeting offers a crucial forum for international discussion of new research and its implications for patient care. This year, more than 550 abstracts were authored by at least one LRF-affiliated scientist; and 43 of the Foundation's 45 current Scientific Advisory Board members and 142 LRF grantees contributed to at least one abstract. The online exclusive issue of Research Report covers highlights from the 2018 ASH Annual Meeting focusing on CAR T-Cell research, new therapies and combinations, rare subtypes, health services research and laboratory research.
- NCCN has published the following updates at
www.nccn.org
:
B-cell lymphoma (V1.2019), bladder cancer (V1.2019), breast cancer (V4.2018), non-small cell lung cancer (V3.2019), palliative care (V2.2019), soft-tissue sarcoma (V2.2019), uterine neoplasms (V3.2019).
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- Janssen Oncology informs ANCO and MOASC that the United States Food and Drug Administration has approved a split-dosing regimen of Darzalex for patients with multiple myeloma, providing physicians the option to split the first infusion of the CD38-directed monoclonal antibody over 2 consecutive days or complete in a single session.
- Johnson & Johnson
wants to inform you about their Interactive Tool "KNOW YOUR STATE", this tool
was developed to help patients learn about medication access and affordability options in their state. Topics within the tool include: Medicaid Expansion; State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs (SPAPs); Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) Eligibility Information; State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs); Standard Prior Authorization (PA) Forms; National Foundations and Other Nonprofit Resources; Oral Parity Laws; Advocacy Connector; Biosimilar Legislation; Continuity of Care; State Legislature Resources. If you would like a demonstration of the tool, please contact Jennifer Cunningham at jcunnin2@its.jnj.com
- Merck informs ANCO and MOASC that the United States Food and Drug Administration has approved Keytruda for the adjuvant treatment of patients with melanoma with involvement of lymph node(s) following complete resection.
- Sanofi Genzyme informs ANCO and MOASC that the United States Food and Drug Administration has approved Cablivi for adult patients with acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP), in combination with plasma exchange and immunosuppresive therapy.
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MOASC CALENDAR
Oncology Summit
(February 23, 2019)
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(San Francisco, February 28-March 2)
(Napa, March 15-17)
(NCCN, San Francisco, September 27-28)
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The
Medical Oncology Association of Southern California
(MOASC) is a leading oncology society that advances and protects the ability of cancer patients to obtain, and the ability of the oncology physicians to provide, optimal cancer care. The
Association of Northern California Oncologists
(ANCO) is an association of hematologists/oncologists dedicated to promoting high professional standards of cancer care by providing a forum for the exchange of ideas, data, and knowledge.
The material contained in the
California Oncology Weekly
is intended as general information for ANCO and MOASC members. Because diagnostic, treatment, contracting, coding, and billing decisions should be made on a case-by-case basis, any such information contained in the
California Oncology Weekly
may not apply in any given situation. Members are encouraged to contact their own consultants or advisors to obtain specific advice on matters relating to contracting, coding, and billing. The information contained in
California Oncology Weekly
should not be used as a substitute for such advice.
This publication provides a summary of regulations affecting oncology and its business practices. Reading this newsletter does not substitute for understanding regulations and verifying the validity of every claim. This information is time-sensitive and is subject to change. MOASC or ANCO accepts no liability for any statements or articles herein.
CPT codes are owned and trademarked by the American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
MOASC: P.O. Box 161, Upland, CA 91785 | P (909) 985-9061 | F (909) 804-5006| www.moasc.org
ANCO: P.O. Box 151109, San Rafael, CA 94915 | P (415) 472-3960 | F (415) 472-3961 | www.anco-online.org
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